Athletic: Horford Opens Up About Leaving Boston

[Donoghus]

LOS ANGELES ? Al Horford wasn?t planning to leave the Boston Celtics. He was happy there; his family was settled there after two separate stops and a combined seven years playing for the storied organization. But Jayson Tatum?s Achilles injury changed everything for the Celtics. For Horford, it altered the course of his summer ? and the end of his career.

?I think that where Boston was as a team, even though I called them my home and everything was there for me, they just weren?t in a position to offer me the opportunity that I wanted,? Horford told The Athletic.

For the 39-year-old Horford, who decided to sign with the Golden State Warriors in early October instead of coming back for another season with Boston, the decision was based on several key factors aside from Tatum?s career-altering injury.

?There was two things there,? Horford explained. ?I think the financial part was a component, but more than that, it was the winning part of it, trying to contend for a championship. And I think there was a lot of things up in the air ? and it just felt like they weren?t in the same, that same vision, obviously, because JT getting hurt, that takes a big toll. So I think at that point I really had to ? up until then I was staying in Boston the whole time.?
[/u]
Horford helped lead the Celtics to a championship in 2024 and became a trusted presence on the floor and respected figure within the community. After officially signing with the Warriors last week, he talked openly about how much love he had for the city of Boston and how the Warriors were the only place he would have left the Celtics for. As he reflected upon his decision, Horford noted that part of the reason his decision ultimately went the way it did was because of the other decisions the Celtics front office made as they reshaped the roster after Tatum?s injury.

?I think once that offseason happened and it started to progress, it became clear to me the team had different priorities,? Horford said. ?Obviously, getting rid of Jrue (Holiday), getting rid of Kristaps (Porziņģis). And I know it?s all salary stuff, but it was like a domino effect, and it was tough for me. It was a tough decision, but my wife and I, we prayed about it. I knew that it had to be something that was gonna be ? that my family had to be on board with me for us to proceed in something like this. And that was it.?

The Warriors provided the type of well-run team ? and championship opportunity this season ? that made the move smoother, and Horford thought he would fit within their mix of high-level veterans and younger players looking to make their own mark. Horford said at his opening news conference last week that he did not have a relationship with Warriors team leaders Stephen Curry and Draymond Green before signing with Golden State. But once it became clear that playing with the Warriors was a possibility, he started to get a recruiting pitch from both.

?Yeah, I had communication with them, with Steph and Draymond,? Horford said. ?And that was important. It happened very fast because it was at a point where they came to me and they?re like, ?Hey, we?d love to have you,? and all these things. And it was one of these things that, for me, looking at this fit and the potential, it just felt right. So them reaching out to me was important.?

The accolades continue to pour in for Horford during his first two weeks with the Warriors. Players and coaches rave about his fit within the culture of the group on and off the floor. Young players appreciate the fact that he offers advice and shares stories with them as he enters the 19th NBA season. Players talk about him with reverence the same way so many of his old teammates have throughout his career. Horford has earned trust with his new team from his play in practice ? and with the way he carries himself.

As a new member of a team that is trying to maintain its own high standards, Horford is trying to pick his spots carefully as he learns from the example that Curry, Green and veteran swingman Jimmy Butler set with their work each day.

?As a newcomer, I don?t have all the answers,? Horford said. ?I?m coming in with a mindset that I?m gonna learn, and I?m trying to understand how they operate, how they do things. I?ve played against them for a lot of years. I?ve covered their system, so I understand certain things, and I don?t really fully understand what it?s like to be a Warrior. So, for me, I?m coming in here trying to learn. I?m trying to learn as quick as I can because I don?t have all the time in the world. We?re trying to do some really special things here, and it?s just trying to get acclimated as quickly as I can with coach (Steve Kerr), with his terminology, with the players, things that they like, things that they don?t. Just trying to fit into the system.?

Horford never thought he would leave Boston, but now he is hopeful that San Francisco is the final stop in his NBA journey. He knows anything can happen in the league, but he believes the Warriors will be his last team.

?Yeah, I think so,? Horford said. ?I think at this point in my career, where I see everything, that is my expectation, just to be here.?

[Goldstar88]

I don?t blame Horford for wanting to play meaningful basketball this season. Especially when it could be his last.

[Roy H.]

I don?t blame Horford for wanting to playing meaningful basketball this season. Especially when it could be his last.

I agree, although I'm thinking that this year's team with Horford would have been as much of a contender as GSW will be in the West.

Horford / Queta / Garza
Boucher / Minott
Brown / Hauser
White / Gonzalez
Simons / Pritchard

My guess is that that team would have finished between 5th and 8th in the East, which is probably about where Golden State will end up.

[radiohead]

I don?t blame Horford for wanting to playing meaningful basketball this season. Especially when it could be his last.

I agree, although I'm thinking that this year's team with Horford would have been as much of a contender as GSW will be in the West.

Horford / Queta / Garza
Boucher / Minott
Brown / Hauser
White / Gonzalez
Simons / Pritchard

My guess is that that team would have finished between 5th and 8th in the East, which is probably about where Golden State will end up.

I?m with Roy here. I don?t think Golden State is in a much better position than us in terms of winning a championship. And the fact that he said he had no plans of leaving Boston up until JT?s injury just makes me feel worse. That just sounds so defensive on his part. I mean I understand he wants one more chance at a ring before he calls it quits, but the Warriors? Really?? It just feels like a major gut punch because as much as I love Al, it sucks that he left us yet again ?for greener pastures?. And knowing that KP and Jrue were disappointed that they were traded makes this even harder to take. I believe Al would have been an all time Celtic great if he stayed. I hope Ian is treated with the same love over there. He was such an enjoyable presence on the Celtics bench the past years.

[SparzWizard]

I don?t blame Horford for wanting to playing meaningful basketball this season. Especially when it could be his last.

I agree, although I'm thinking that this year's team with Horford would have been as much of a contender as GSW will be in the West.

Horford / Queta / Garza
Boucher / Minott
Brown / Hauser
White / Gonzalez
Simons / Pritchard

My guess is that that team would have finished between 5th and 8th in the East, which is probably about where Golden State will end up.

I?m with Roy here. I don?t think Golden State is in a much better position than us in terms of winning a championship. And the fact that he said he had no plans of leaving Boston up until JT?s injury just makes me feel worse. That just sounds so defensive on his part. I mean I understand he wants one more chance at a ring before he calls it quits, but the Warriors? Really?? It just feels like a major gut punch because as much as I love Al, it sucks that he left us yet again ?for greener pastures?. And knowing that KP and Jrue were disappointed that they were traded makes this even harder to take. I believe Al would have been an all time Celtic great if he stayed. I hope Ian is treated with the same love over there. He was such an enjoyable presence on the Celtics bench the past years.

I would've done the same thing. If Jrue and Kristaps, and my backup Kornet all got traded while Tatum is dealing with a recovery for most of the following season...I would want greener pastures. NBA is a business at the end of the day, there are no loyalties from organizations and from players.

[Goldstar88]

I don?t blame Horford for wanting to playing meaningful basketball this season. Especially when it could be his last.

I agree, although I'm thinking that this year's team with Horford would have been as much of a contender as GSW will be in the West.

Horford / Queta / Garza
Boucher / Minott
Brown / Hauser
White / Gonzalez
Simons / Pritchard

My guess is that that team would have finished between 5th and 8th in the East, which is probably about where Golden State will end up.

Starters: Curry, Moody, Butler, Draymond, Horford
Bench: Podziemski, Payton II, Hield, Kuminga, Trace-Jackson, Post.

Warriors starters are old, but they have a much better roster than Boston does. If healthy, GS can contend.

[Who]

Should have kept the team together and waited for Tatum to return from his injury. There was always a solid chance he would be back for a post-season run. They should have kept Jrue & Porzingis which would have meant Horford would have stayed. And kept Kornet as well.

They gave up a shot at a title to save themselves money.

[ozgod]

I think it was ultimately two factors:

a) the Dubs are trying to load up to win another championship as their goal this season. They may not get there, but it's a goal the organization has from the front office, to the coaching staff, to the players. Nothing in the language - whether by words or actions - coming from Brad and Joe suggest they're trying to win a championship this season. The message they're sending with the roster moves is that they want to get below the second apron and then build a new, younger, cheaper team around the Jays next season or the season after. It's entirely possible that both GS and Boston will end up in the same position in the playoffs, but the organizational goals are different and presumably the has less constraints on them.

And b) the Benjamins. Boston is trying to get below the second apron, the Dubs are prepared to spend all the way up to the 2nd apron and maybe even exceed it during the season to maximize Curry's waning light. We were never going to be able to match the $$$ they were giving him.

[ozgod]

Should have kept the team together and waited for Tatum to return from his injury. There was always a solid chance he would be back for a post-season run. They should have kept Jrue & Porzingis which would have meant Horford would have stayed. And kept Kornet as well.

They gave up a shot at a title to save themselves money.

They would have been on the hook for $500m this year if they had kept the gang together - the gang that went out in the 2nd round last season due to injuries. And being in the repeater they would have paid even more the following season. I'm guessing the basketball minds and the financial minds got together and the basketball minds couldn't give a championship win probability number high enough to justify the $180m they otherwise saved by cutting salaries to get under the repeater tax. We're fans so the money doesn't matter to us, but I guess as a business they had to look at their ROI on the expenditure and it just wasn't high enough to justify the penalties.

I have a feeling they didn't want to end up being like Phoenix, handcuffed by huge contracts to guys that might end up being much harder to move a year from now when they are a year older, their production might have declined, they may have suffered more injuries, etc. Sell early rather than sell late and all that.

[slamtheking]

Should have kept the team together and waited for Tatum to return from his injury. There was always a solid chance he would be back for a post-season run. They should have kept Jrue & Porzingis which would have meant Horford would have stayed. And kept Kornet as well.

They gave up a shot at a title to save themselves money.

true, but that was a lot of money to save given the title chances were pretty slim without knowing if Tatum would be healthy enough to play before the playoffs.

the other thing to consider is this team was horrible against the Knicks before the Tatum injury so you have to wonder if a shake up wasn't needed to get them back to being focussed on winning a title.

with the current roster, there's not enough talent to contend when Tatum comes back and no clear way they can add the necessary talent, pretty much the frontcourt, to contend without moving White or Brown.  Simons may get them a rotation-quality big man in a trade but I doubt it'd be a starter-quality big.

[Goldstar88]

Should have kept the team together and waited for Tatum to return from his injury. There was always a solid chance he would be back for a post-season run. They should have kept Jrue & Porzingis which would have meant Horford would have stayed. And kept Kornet as well.

They gave up a shot at a title to save themselves money.

They would have been on the hook for $500m this year if they had kept the gang together - the gang that went out in the 2nd round last season due to injuries. And being in the repeater they would have paid even more the following season. I'm guessing the basketball minds and the financial minds got together and the basketball minds couldn't give a championship win probability number high enough to justify the $180m they otherwise saved by cutting salaries to get under the repeater tax. We're fans so the money doesn't matter to us, but I guess as a business they had to look at their ROI on the expenditure and it just wasn't high enough to justify the penalties.

I have a feeling they didn't want to end up being like Phoenix, handcuffed by huge contracts to guys that might end up being much harder to move a year from now when they are a year older, their production might have declined, they may have suffered more injuries, etc. Sell early rather than sell late and all that.

They could have just moved Jrue, though.

A starting lineup of White, Brown, Tatum, Horford, KP with  Pritchard, Hauser, Queta, Tillman off the bench is still a contender.

Instead, the new ownership completely gutted the team.

[slamtheking]

Should have kept the team together and waited for Tatum to return from his injury. There was always a solid chance he would be back for a post-season run. They should have kept Jrue & Porzingis which would have meant Horford would have stayed. And kept Kornet as well.

They gave up a shot at a title to save themselves money.

They would have been on the hook for $500m this year if they had kept the gang together - the gang that went out in the 2nd round last season due to injuries. And being in the repeater they would have paid even more the following season. I'm guessing the basketball minds and the financial minds got together and the basketball minds couldn't give a championship win probability number high enough to justify the $180m they otherwise saved by cutting salaries to get under the repeater tax. We're fans so the money doesn't matter to us, but I guess as a business they had to look at their ROI on the expenditure and it just wasn't high enough to justify the penalties.

I have a feeling they didn't want to end up being like Phoenix, handcuffed by huge contracts to guys that might end up being much harder to move a year from now when they are a year older, their production might have declined, they may have suffered more injuries, etc. Sell early rather than sell late and all that.

They could have just moved Jrue, though.

A starting lineup of White, Brown, Tatum, Horford, KP with  Pritchard, Hauser, Queta, Tillman off the bench is still a contender.

Instead, the new ownership completely gutted the team.

if you're going the route of just moving Jrue, you need to also keep Kornet.  Tillman was useless last year and doesn't look that much better this year.  Q was unproven and hasn't looked good this season either. 

you would get to add Simons to that roster though which might push Al to the bench if swapping Simons in for Jrue as a starter which they might do.  Al off the bench would really strengthen it

[Moranis]

If he truly wanted to win there are like 7 or 8 teams better positioned than the Warriors. Maybe even 10.  I mean in the east alone there are at least 3 teams clearly more likely to win than the Warriors (Cavs, Knicks, Bucks) not to mention a team like the Hawks, Magic, or Pistons (though the latter 2 may be too young still this year).  Out west there are 5 or 6 though most he would be a clear bench guy.